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Topic: Customer Surveys - "Give me a 10" (Read 6739 times)

There have been recent articles about poor organization in Walmart stores and the people getting frustrated at empty shelves in front, full boxes in the back. The Walmart spokesperson has been quoted as claiming the surveys show customer satisfaction. Well, yeah, since the CSRs ask for good scores and people who fill them out are A-happy customers, or B-very angry customers, they probably aren't getting a reply from C-customers who couldn't find what they wanted and went elsewhere.

Sophie, I just thought of something else. A lot of times, the survey doesn't ask for the name of an employee. And there have even been times when there's not a question for the date/time or anything else that could possibly be linked to a specific person.

So if a negative one is completed, how is one employee hurt by it? If they're punishing everyone that works there at all times of the day or night for survey with a 9 instead of a 10 on it, the place has more problems to deal with than my little 9.

If it's the kind of survey that prints out from the register, there is usually a code to input. That code gives them all the information about date/time/cashier without having to rely on an untrained customer to find that info on the receipt.

It has been my experience that negative surveys without identifying information of any kind (which were incredibly rare) got everyone who worked in that time frame in trouble. Not usually a write-up, but stern talkings-to and threats.

And I really do think that the survey system as corporations use it is useless. But they're also not going to get any kind of message from survey responses that are moderate- they'll just tell their employees that if they aren't going out of their way to make someone feel special, they are not good enough.

(A friend of mine who works at a bank just told me that she's supposed to offer to walk her customers out to their cars with an umbrella when it's rainy- regardless of how busy they are. It's a service she's happy to offer on slow days, but when they're busy, more people would be happy with prompt, pleasant service uninterrupted by the five minutes to make another customer feel extra special.)

negative surveys without identifying information of any kind (which were incredibly rare)

Not rare at all.

I'm thinking of a restaurant I go to, for instance, that has comment cards with a survey on them. No need to add the Date or Time (although you can, if you wanted to, I suppose). It also has about 5 restaurants that are covered by the one card. The 5 are owned by the same entity.

Seriously, if one less than stellar mark on that thing gets everyone who has ever possibly worked at any of the 5 restaurants a "stern talking to," there's an even more serious problem with the system. I really truly can't believe that they chew out everyone that works at those 5 places at all times of the day or night just because they got some feedback from a customer that has a suggestion on how they might improve.

At this restaurant, as an example, they've taken off a menu item that I used to get every time I went in. I think that the reasoning behind removing it (confirmed by the wait staff) wasn't really thought out fully. And I have a suggestion on how, if they bring it back, they can overcome the problem that they initially had. Yeah, I complete that survey when I go in. And that's at the recommendation of the servers - they want it back as well. If, for no other reason, because they're the ones who are hearing from the customers that they're wanting to order it! If that gets people in trouble, I can't help it. Don't ask for comments if you don't want to hear them!

negative surveys without identifying information of any kind (which were incredibly rare)

Not rare at all.

I'm thinking of a restaurant I go to, for instance, that has comment cards with a survey on them. No need to add the Date or Time (although you can, if you wanted to, I suppose). It also has about 5 restaurants that are covered by the one card. The 5 are owned by the same entity.

Seriously, if one less than stellar mark on that thing gets everyone who has ever possibly worked at any of the 5 restaurants a "stern talking to," there's an even more serious problem with the system. I really truly can't believe that they chew out everyone that works at those 5 places at all times of the day or night just because they got some feedback from a customer that has a suggestion on how they might improve.

At this restaurant, as an example, they've taken off a menu item that I used to get every time I went in. I think that the reasoning behind removing it (confirmed by the wait staff) wasn't really thought out fully. And I have a suggestion on how, if they bring it back, they can overcome the problem that they initially had. Yeah, I complete that survey when I go in. And that's at the recommendation of the servers - they want it back as well. If, for no other reason, because they're the ones who are hearing from the customers that they're wanting to order it! If that gets people in trouble, I can't help it. Don't ask for comments if you don't want to hear them!

That one example does not make a rule for every establishment that hands out surveys.

I really truly can't believe that they chew out everyone that works at those 5 places at all times of the day or night just because they got some feedback from a customer that has a suggestion on how they might improve.

They are given to every customer. We have a score system from 1-5. Anything that is not a 5 is a fail. Customers can also leave a comment.

Every morning, we discuss any new surveys that have been submitted. They absolutely are helpful if a comment is left. We want to know what we are doing right and what we are doing wrong. We cannot fix the problems if we are not made aware.

We want our clients to be satisfied with our service. If they are not satisfied, we need to fix that.

We do not ask our clients to give us 5's. We do encourage them to fill it out and leave a comment.

That one example does not make a rule for every establishment that hands out surveys.

It was one example of many places I know that do it. Hence the "for instance" and "for example." So I stand by my post.

Sophie said it was "incredibly rare" for a place to not have a place for Date/Time. I disagree. I don't think it's "incredibly rare" at all. Maybe not the overwhelming norm where she is. But to say that it's "incredibly rare" is a generalization that's not true everywhere. (In her defense, she did say "It has been my experience". So it could be that she's really not aware that there are places where it's done differently than she's accustomed.)

Every morning, we discuss any new surveys that have been submitted. They absolutely are helpful if a comment is left. We want to know what we are doing right and what we are doing wrong. We cannot fix the problems if we are not made aware.

We want our clients to be satisfied with our service. If they are not satisfied, we need to fix that.

We do not ask our clients to give us 5's. We do encourage them to fill it out and leave a comment.

Excellent - the way it should work and an example of a company that has its head on its shoulders.

I'm not arguing that some of you have experienced places where you're punished for not getting all A+'s. I believe you.

However, somewhere, somehow, that does need to change (and I realize you're agreeing with that). I don't know how to get it to change. Someone needs to fight it. I don't know who or how. But it does need to be changed so that whoever is doing that understands that they're missing out on some very valuable information from the very people who are giving them the money that they so desire.

And yes, while I disagree that this is the case in all businesses (I do think there are some that actually do pay attention to the surveys - and I stand by the above that there are some places where it wouldn't be possible to pinpoint a Date/Time/Person - I know of some where I am), this thread has been enlightening as to some places where Corporate isn't as interested in our opinions. I think that's very pathetic on their part. But I believe that there are some places where it's true.

Our surveys don't give us anyone's name. It does tell us the date that they filled out the survey. They do have 3 days(I think) after receiving the survey for them to fill it out. So we can narrow it down a little bit.

There have been times that a customer has left a comment where we have really wanted to fix it in some way, but we had no way of contacting them or getting their contact info.

Interestingly, I found this thread just after doing a survey about a restaurant trip from the other day. I went because of their current promotion for those delicious crustaceans I wish I could afford to eat more of.

As it happens, I had no complaints and the server was prompt, efficient, and had a good attitude.

I have never been asked or begged for a perfect score there or elsewhere.

I always fill out the Bath & Body Works ones because they turn into coupons for $10 off (no expiration date either). The staff in my local store is excellent.

Interestingly, I found this thread just after doing a survey about a restaurant trip from the other day. I went because of their current promotion for those delicious crustaceans I wish I could afford to eat more of.

As it happens, I had no complaints and the server was prompt, efficient, and had a good attitude.

I have never been asked or begged for a perfect score there or elsewhere.

I always fill out the Bath & Body Works ones because they turn into coupons for $10 off (no expiration date either). The staff in my local store is excellent.

The idea that only perfect is acceptable is insane.

It wouldn't be the first time corporate thinking has been dubbed "insane."

I hate the customer survey things. I seldom do them as most of the time you get nothing for them besides a free snack (for the restaurant ones). If I have a complaint about something at the car dealership, I still know how to go through the chain of command properly due to my experiences doing work in the auto industry before moving in IT.

However, somewhere, somehow, that does need to change (and I realize you're agreeing with that). I don't know how to get it to change. Someone needs to fight it. I don't know who or how. But it does need to be changed so that whoever is doing that understands that they're missing out on some very valuable information from the very people who are giving them the money that they so desire.

Dotty, I think what those of us who are, or have been subject to those types of surveys are asking is that people don't call in, it perpetuates those types of useless, punitive surveys. If you have a complaint try contacting corporate directly. If people quit calling in, the surveys wouldn't happen, and the corporations would find some other way to gather information. I have no problems whatsoever with open ended comment cards, it's just the stupid numerically based phone surveys.

I have always swore up and down that whatever company does those surveys has some sort of dirt on all the executives in the participating company....Because you are very correct that the surveys as designed are not gathering any useful information.